May I go to Daily Mass in shorts?

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I think we are trying to complicate the issue. Should we wear shorts? NO. However, lets not judge others if they are wearing shorts or anything else that may be less than appropriate. We don’t know their reasons. However,we should always try to set a good example to the lazy or uncaring.

Its the same decisions that we face daily in life. If you know you can dress better, than why don’t you? Don’t try to rationalize that its too hot, or didn’t have time. Personally I don’t care if people wear shorts, but it’s not for me to judge. I admit that occasionaly I wear a nice pair of jeans to daily mass. I don’t think that is right either, but I did it anyway.

You right, I don’t think God cares how we are dressed, but He does care if we could have done better and don’t to self serve ourselves and not Him.
 
I think today’s readings really speak to this issue.

nccbuscc.org/nab/062704.htm

If discipleship means no looking back, even if it means “letting the dead bury themselves,” I think it would be silly to postpone attending the Lord’s feast because you don’t have a chance to change clothes!

I live in a rural area and am SO thankful for the farmers who leave their fields long enough to attend Mass, even if it is in their torn and dusty jeans. There are so many others who make idols of their jobs…
 
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Sheen:
Oh, I’m so glad. I do hope things are better for you now than they were when that happened to you.

:blessyou:

YSiC,

Susie
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Oh yes! God is very good! I met a wonderful man in a widows support group…we married…just celebrated our 12th annv. and have 2 1/2 grandchildren! Thanks for asking & God Bless, Annunciata:)
 
Are there many versions of truth? It is a lack of respect to go to mass in shorts. Would you show up at a wedding reception, funeral, college graduation for a family member in shorts? Then much LESS is it appropiate for Mass.

It is a disgrace for a priest even if he is 20-140 years old to disrespect the confessional by wearing “shorts and a t-shirt” while administering the sacrament of Penence. Actually, it shows irreverence and LAZINESS on the part of the priest. I would tell him, and if he does not like it, well, too bad, the sacrament of Penence does NOT belong to the priest or any priest, it is through the Church he administers it. It is amazing that there is such RELATIVISM in the minds of so many catholics, and the problem of that seems to be MOSTLY in the Catholic Church in The United States. I guess for some it would be okay to come to Mass with no clothes on(a nudist Mass) on too? NOT!!!:rolleyes:
 
I never wear shorts to daily or Sunday Mass, but my 6 year old (who comes with me most days to daily Mass) is (was) allowed (by me) to wear them.

Today I asked Fr. after Mass if it was okay for her to wear shorts and he said not really. It’s not a good practice to get into. He is very conservative (which is what I love about the way he celebrates the Mass and why I trust what he says) so I guess I shouldn’t have been that little bit surprised, but I’ll go along with him and put her in long pants.

JELane
 
JElane:
I never wear shorts to daily or Sunday Mass, but my 6 year old (who comes with me most days to daily Mass) is (was) allowed (by me) to wear them.

Today I asked Fr. after Mass if it was okay for her to wear shorts and he said not really. It’s not a good practice to get into. He is very conservative (which is what I love about the way he celebrates the Mass and why I trust what he says) so I guess I shouldn’t have been that little bit surprised, but I’ll go along with him and put her in long pants.

JELane
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Here’s something some may not know…

At the vatican there is a fairly conservative dress code. The Swiss Guards won’t let you in if you are not dressed modestly…that includes children, small children.

Friends at Church, their family went to Rome…someone had a 4 yr old in shorts and a teeshirt…they were refused entry by the Swiss Guards who told them the child’s clothing was inappropriate. From what I understand women must be modestly dressed (men too) and that extends to small children…also when one is meeting with the Holy Father even more conservative dress is required.

SV
 
Wow, guess I would get turned away, but I would not flip since I may have a huge amount of respect for the pope, president, mayors etc. they are not God and I only serve him and he knows me best. 👍
 
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kamz:
Wow, guess I would get turned away, but I would not flip since I may have a huge amount of respect for the pope, president, mayors etc. they are not God and I only serve him and he knows me best. 👍
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Are you Catholic? If so then you should be respectful and obedient to the teachings of the Church.

There is nothing wrong with the Church requesting we show respect and modesty when in God’s house.

SV
 
One thing I notice, it that on this issue, there are competing underlying motives.

(1) What is modest?
(2) What is proper according to the culture.

The first concerns how what we wear affect other people and can if we are immodest lead them into sin.

The second concerns how a person views the world and what they consider proper. This varies by person, how they were raised, where they were raised, who they associated with, what different styles of clothing mean to them, etc.

Is it OK to be immodest (contrary to 1). No. We should never lead others to sin.

Is it OK to be counter-cultural? (contrary to 2). Sometimes, it is. sometimes because of our culture, we are to other cultures. People’s view of cultural norms vary even among neighbors. The predominant American culture says sex outside of marriage is OK. Here as catholics we are called to be counter-cultural because it is immoral.

Cultural standards of dress vary significantly. Different people have different views of what is acceptable dress and what is not.

It is important that we reminder this and ask ourselves, it is modest even though it offends our sense what we consider proper (our culture regard to dress). If so, we should be charitable about it. Remember that some people will find your cultural view of proper, improper by their cultural view.

In the modern world, where travel is a lot more common, competing cultural views of dress come more and more into conflict. So be loving about it.
 
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kamz:
Wow, guess I would get turned away, but I would not flip since I may have a huge amount of respect for the pope, president, mayors etc. they are not God and I only serve him and he knows me best. 👍
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That’s where we differ. I know that God knows me best, but I have certainty that the Catholic Church, and my priest, knows better how we should honor, glorify, and show reverence to God.

To each his own, but I’d prefer to err on the side of caution.

JELane
 
In the United States alone there has to be thousands of Catholic churches and each priest has his own idea of what is ok with him in his parish. If your priest has a bone to pick about shorts let him be the one to say so, if he doesn’t as long as its not a habit don’t worry about it.
Our priest doesn’t care at all as long as body parts are covered, he has stressed over and over again, get them to church and the rest takes care of itself and he is right, if you start to nit pick you lose members over junk, do we want Catholics to turn away over clothes? That is pretty silly. Listen to how you are all starting to sound, like you spoke with God personally about this and he told you to go and give out advice, really, not to be rude at all but on some things you need to mind your own bees wax, but just my very humble opinion.
God Bless
 
Iguana 27 asked this of the board: May I go to daily mass in shorts?

I gave my opinion, just mine, not anybodys else, mine, as a Catholic, that yes, if they are not short-shorts and are clean and its not a huge habit you tend to make then indeed go to church in shorts. My opinion. Don’t you love how we can’t just state our opinions but have to get up on our soap boxes and let everyone know that if they don’t listen to our way they are surely doomed?
How about we let our own parishes and priests deal with this, obviously we are all from different areas and have different priests with different ideas of what is ok and not ok, I think we could all agree on that and I think we could also agree that none of us should be speaking as God or state this is what God thinks, really, do we know that?? State your opinion to Iguana and walk away. Peace to you all 🙂
 
My original answer was that I thought it okay to occasionally go in shorts due to situations. Then I figured I’d ask my priest. Then I reported back that I asked my priest. Then someone answered something about God knowing you best, and I replied that I thought the priest would better know the answer to something than I would, having had much more training in it.

If you interpret that as a soapbox, then of course I must be the one with the wrong interpretation of what a soapbox is.

So if you’re offended, oops, sorry. It just seemed silly for me to ask my priest and continue to do somethign in opposition to what he said. And of course everyone should listen to a priest they trust, as I do mine.

Quite frankly, I couldn’t give a rat’s behind what anyone else wears to church.

JELane
 
And I asked my priest yesterday after mass and he said if they are not tacky, dirty, holes in them he doesn’t care.
I too could careless what others wear.
Peace 🙂
 
St Veronica:
Our priest has specifically said we are not to wear shorts to Mass…and told us to basically be modest in our dress and he now and then comments how nice it is to see people ‘dressed up’ for Mass.

SV
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Was this about Sunday Mass or daily Mass?

I don’t understand - if modesty is the issue, then I guess you couldn’t wear a skirt or dress either, if they are the same length as shorts. Long pants or ankle-length skirts only?
 
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S_Corda:
Was this about Sunday Mass or daily Mass?

I don’t understand - if modesty is the issue, then I guess you couldn’t wear a skirt or dress either. Long pants or ankle-length skirts only?
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Mass is Mass, irregardless if it’s daily or Sunday. Father meant all Mass’s he officiates at.

Why couldn’t a person wear a skirt or a dress? Not all of them are indecent. Anything at the knee or below would be fine, assuming the bodice/top was modest also.

SV
 
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iguana27:
If I am out and about and have the opportunity to go to daily Mass, should I refrain from going simply because I am wearing shorts?
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I can’t imagine why I would pass on an unexpected chance to worship and receive the Eucharist, as long as what you have on is modest.
Let’s assume for the sake of the discussion that the shorts come to 2 inches above the knee.
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Compared to a skirt the same length, the shorts might be more modest. (By the way, in most western society, long pants didn’t become popular for men until the 1800’s.)
Does the church have any definitive word on this issue?
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Not on modest shorts. Modesty is the key, not conservative fashion.

I often attend a weekday Latin Mass at 7:15 AM. A lot of people attend every day on their way to work. They don’t have time to go home and change again before work, and they shouldn’t have to.
Their work clothes are modest. They may not be acceptable to your taste, but they are modest. I would trust these highly devoted, devout daily Latin-Mass types for an opinion on this more than anyone here.
 
St Veronica:
Mass is Mass, irregardless if it’s daily or Sunday. Father meant all Mass’s he officiates at.

Why couldn’t a person wear a skirt or a dress? Not all of them are indecent. Anything at the knee or below would be fine, assuming the bodice/top was modest also.

SV
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If a skirt is the same length as the shorts, then why are the shorts indecent and not the skirt?
 
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